Burr comb question, etc.

[Steve M.]

I am now a few weeks into my first hive, and I am just starting to become more comfortable with the bees.  I have not seen the queen yet, but I do see eggs, and larvae of different sizes throughout the burr comb....and there are a lot more bees than when I started.

I was inspecting some frames yesterday, and noticed that the bees have built a large amount of burr comb between the bottom of the frames and the screened bottom board.  the burr comb was just loaded with bees.  Should I remove all this burr comb, and if so, what is the best way to do it...I don't want to accidentally remove the queen?

I fortunately have very tolerant bees, but I still get nervous holding the frame with one hand and trying to scrape off the comb with the other.  Should I scrape the comb into a pan of some sort and place it above the inner cover in an empty super so the bees will do what they need to to it?

On a side note, these bees seem to be drawing out the small cell foundation very well.  What is the best way to remove the frames that came in my nuc as soon as possible?

Thank you.

[Ross]

unless you are going to move frames between boxes, just leave it.  It doesn't hurt a thing.  When you get ready to pull a frame up into another box, then you can scrape it off.